A university students' union is lobbying MPs from its six campuses in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset over concerns about "top-up" fees.

Members of the University of Plymouth's student body wants assurances from the MPs that they will oppose any detrimental options to student funding.

It follows reports that Imperial College in London plans to introduce "top-up" tuition fees for students of up to �10,500 a year.

The fees are currently capped at �1,100, but there are fears that changes could be made when the government publishes a higher education funding review in November.

Part-time jobs

James Hutchinson, Plymouth's students' union education officer, said: "Currently many students already work over 20 hours a week in part-time jobs in order to cover the costs of higher education.

Hours meant to be used for study will increasingly be used for paid employment simply to survive

James Hutchinson

"They still come out with an average of �12,000 debt. Many with more.

"With the introduction of top-up fees, the debts will increase and hours meant to be used for study will increasingly be used for paid employment simply to survive."

The lobby was being held after a confidential paper recently discussed by Imperial College's ruling council said "it seems likely" the government will propose to remove the limitation on fees.

The paper said the results of the government's "transparency review" of higher education had shown it cost about �10,500 a year to teach a student in laboratory-based subjects.

Imperial College's current funding from Higher Education Funding Council for England teaching grant and from fees is about �7,700 per student.

"Hence the college loses around �2.8K p.a. for each student that it teaches," the paper said.

Debt

The Department for Education said: "We accept that students will leave university with debt.

"But the fact is that student loan debt will be repaid only when the students can afford to do so."

The University of Plymouth has campuses in Plymouth, Exeter, Exmouth, Seale-Hayne, near Newton Abbot; Pool near Reduth in Cornwall; and Taunton in Somerset.